


Moments Remembered; Memories Forgotten

by trappednightingale



Series: Fate [3]
Category: The Hobbit (2012), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-08
Updated: 2013-03-25
Packaged: 2017-11-24 03:37:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/629952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trappednightingale/pseuds/trappednightingale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is nothing more sacred than the bond of soulmates, and the laws of the universe demand that these souls will always meet again.</p><p>((Or..."In which Kili is reincarnated as a full-time part-timer, Bilbo owns a bookstore, and their past selves slowly begin to wake up." ))</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from the quote:  
> “We do not remember days [...] we remember moments, and the richness of life lies in memories we have forgotten.” (Terri Herman-Poncé, In This Life)
> 
> Special thanks to shrapnel-chan for all her help and support~

_The thing about reincarnation is that nothing about it is set in stone; there is no formula, no pattern, no rhyme or reason as to how or when it occurs. Sometimes a soul is reborn within the decade; sometimes it takes centuries._

_However, there is one constant, one absolute truth that will never change._

_No matter how long it takes, if two souls are bound, they will always find each other. There is nothing more sacred than the bond of soulmates, and the laws of the universe demand that these souls will always meet again._

_Sometimes, these souls can lie dormant for centuries, never fully waking up, lying in wait for their other half to wake as well. Souls such as these may require more than simply being reborn to be woken._

_Souls such as these require…a push._

_*     *    *_

 

“Oi! Watch it!” Kili shouted as someone shoved into him, causing him to stumble forward. Unfortunately, he was thrust forward into a  man who’d been carrying a rather large amount of books. Said books flew out of the man’s hands as both crashed to the ground, and Kili scrambled to help pick them up.

 

Kili brushed some of the dirt from the back of a book, then reached for another. His fingers brushed against the other mans for the briefest of seconds, and a feeling like lightning tore through him at the touch.

 

His eyes snapped up to meet the other’s gaze, grey eyes that almost seemed blue as the light hit them a certain way. The other man was wearing an expression of shock and confusion that he was certain mirrored his own. The man seemed…familiar somehow, even though he was certain he’d never seen him before in his life.

 

“Um.” Kili cleared his throat and offered him the books he’d picked up. “Sorry about…all that.”

 

“Not your fault.” He shrugged and dropped his gaze as he accepted the books in Kili’s hand. “I couldn’t see very well over all this.”

 

He gave Kili a grateful nod as he rose to his feet. “Thanks for the help.”

 

“Yeah, no problem.” Kili shot him a grin. “Need some help?”

 

“No, thanks. I’m just headed down the block. Cheers.”

 

Kili opened his mouth to protest, but the man had already walked away. He shrugged the incident off as mildly strange, then glanced at his watch.

 

“Shit…Late for my shift. Again.”

 

*          *          *

 

_“Oi, watch it!”_ _Kíli protested as one of their party members shoved into him, causing him to stumble into the hobbit in front of him. The pair crashed to the ground, but Bilbo was laughing._

_“Sorry about that. Clearly Ori needs to get his nose out of his book and watch where he’s going.” He shot the other dwarf a dirty look._

_“Sorry!”_

_“No, no, it’s fine.” Bilbo gave him an affectionate smile as they got to their feet, hands staying tangled for a few moments before they broke away._ _Kíli noticed his brother giving them a knowing smirk, but no one else seemed to notice._

_“How far are we from Mirkwood, do you think?” Bilbo asked quietly, falling into step alongside Kíli, fingers brushing his occaisionally._

_“Not sure. I think we’re nearing our next stop, though. Gandalf said he knew someone around here who could help us, give us supplies and such.” Kíli replied, smiling at Bilbo’s look of relief._

_“It will be nice to rest for a night.”_

_“That it will, my dear Mister Baggins.”_


	2. Chapter 2

“…I mean, his hair was shaggier in my dream, a bit longer and all that, but it was definitely him. How strange is that?” Kili finished, leaning forward on the table.

 

“Don’t you have other tables you’re supposed to be attending to?” the blonde man sitting across from him raised an amused eyebrow as he glanced up from his food.

 

“Not important.” Kili waved him off. “Besides, I got Sarah to keep an eye on them for me. I barely get to see you anymore, Fili, and I’d really appreciate your input.”

 

“Fionnlagh. I’m almost twenty-five now, far too old for childhood nicknames.” He corrected automatically.

 

“You’ve become far less fun since you started working with Uncle.” Kili made a face.

 

“And you’ve gone mad since you moved out.” His brother retorted, then sighed, placing his fork on his plate. “I think you’re over-worked, and that your mind is playing with you because of how much stress you’re putting on yourself. Not to mention that you most likely found this man attractive, which is why your mind latched on to him.”

 

Kili opened his mouth to argue, but realized he was right and let it go.

 

“Oi! I said I’d watch your tables for a couple of minutes, not for the whole shift!” Sarah shouted, and Kili immediately jumped to his feet.

 

“Well, this has been lovely, but I’ve got to run. Hell hath no fury and all that. We should do this again sometime.” Kili shot his brother a grin, then moved over to where Sarah was waiting with a tray of food.

 

“What’s this I hear about dreams of handsome strangers?” she teased, and Kili rolled his eyes at her.

 

“Nothing. Just my mind messing with me.”

*          *          *

 

Kili was leaning on one of the display cases and going through his text messages when he heard the shop door bell ring, signaling a customer.

 

“Good evening. Welcome to Grey Havens, can I help you—Oh, it’s you!” he exclaimed, a broad grin covering his face as the man from the previous day entered the shop. He looked confused for a moment, then smiled as recognition covered his face.

 

“You ran into me yesterday.”

 

“Was pushed into, actually. But yes, that was me.”

 

“How long have you worked here? I don’t think I’ve seen you in here before.” The man remarked, glancing around the shop.

 

“I don’t actually work here? Well. I owed Gandalf a favor, and he needed me to watch the shop tonight.” Kili shrugged. “He’s an old family friend so apparently I was the only one he trusted to call in at such short notice.”

 

“Ah, pity. I’d brought him a book.” He gestured to the rather thick leather-bound tome in his hands.

 

“That looks rather interesting…may I?” Kili asked, and the other man nodded and handed it to him.

 

“It’s some sort of grimoire—a book of magic. I can’t make heads or tails of the language it’s written in, and Gandalf likes taking books like these off my hands since I won’t have any use for them in my shop.”

 

The writing was all sharp lines and dots, but not like the runes Kili was used to seeing around Gandalf’s shop. He handed the book back to the man and gave him a small smile. “I’m sure Gandalf will be back around tomorrow afternoon if you’d like to drop it by then. Or I can give it to him when he comes to get his keys in the morning.” He offered.

 

“Thank you, but I think I’ll just swing by tomorrow. I wanted to ask his advice about getting a new pipe, as mine broke the other day.”

 

“Alright then. Pleasure meeting you, Mister—”

 

“Bagden, ahm. William Bagden, that is. And you were..?”

 

“Kili Duren.”

 

“Kili…rather odd name.”

 

“Short for Killian. My brother was an ass and decided to start calling me Kili before I was old enough to know to protest. It stuck and I haven’t been able to be rid of it since, so I stopped fighting it.” Kili grinned and offered a hand, which the other man shook.

 

This time there was no jolt, no electricity, but William’s hand was warm and almost familiar in his, and Kili couldn’t fight the smile from his face.

 

“Until next time, then, Mister Bagden.”

 

*          *          *

_“What’s that, then?” Kili asked as Bilbo joined him on the bed, large book in his hands._

_“It’s a book of old Elvish tales.” Bilbo replied, fingers tracing the pages almost reverently. Kili made a face at the word ‘Elvish’, but still peered over his shoulder to look at the page._

_“Anything good in there? Can’t possibly be more interesting than Dwarvish tales.”_

_“I’m still learning the language, but Beorn said I could have it, said it would be good practice.” Bilbo replied, then made a small noise of excitement. “Oh, I recognize that word there. See? It says ‘manadh’.”_

_“Fate.” Kili nodded in recognition. “So this is probably some tale about two poor souls who were bound by destiny and met some cruel end. That sounds like an Elvish ending, doesn’t it?”_

_Bilbo laughed and swatted at him gently. “Don’t be like that. Even if they die, they’ll be reunited in the next life. I’m sure of it.”_

_“Well, once you learn enough of their language to make heads or tails of it, let me know how it ends, yeah?” Kili stifled a yawn and moved so he was lying on the bed, Bilbo snuggling up against him mere moments later, still enthralled in the book. He felt a brief kiss against his jaw before being lulled to sleep by the even breathing of his partner and the sound of their combined heartbeats._


	3. Chapter 3

The next time Kili ran into William, night shift at the pub was fifteen minutes from being over, and the man had been seated at one of the tables in his section.

 

“We’re almost closed…need me to send him away?” his manager asked.

 

“Nah, I’ve got it, Meg. He’s a friend. Sort of.”

 

“Sort of?” she mouthed at him as he walked away. Kili ran a hand through his hair, pulling the dark curls out of his face and tying it back into a half-ponytail. The dreams were unsettling, but he couldn’t bring himself to feel awkward around the other man—there was something strangely comforting about his presence, regardless of their relationship in his dreams.

 

“I would have taken you for more of a morning person.” Kili said by way of greeting, sliding into the chair across from him.

 

William blinked in surprise, but a soft smile formed on his lips. “Yes, well, I just closed up shop and saw the lights were on…figured I’d pop in for a bite.”

 

“You work at a shop?”

 

“Own it, actually. Well. Sort of. It belongs to some distant relative of mums, but I run it now.”

 

“What sort of shop is it? Not a head shop like the Grey Havens, I trust?”

 

“Oh heavens no. It’s a bookshop.” He laughed lightly. “I sell used books, although none quite as old as the one I brought in the other night. I try to avoid selling newer books…I like holding a book and being able to see its history—you know, the creases on page corners from where its previous owner wanted to mark a place, phrases that have been underlined, smudges of ink where someone cried over the page, things like that.” William bit his lip and gave Kili an apologetic look. “Sorry, I must sound mad.”

 

“No, not at all. You’re passionate about it, which makes it seem much more fascinating. I like hearing people talk about their passions.” Kili grinned. “It’s my favorite part of waiting tables.”

 

“So your passion is waiting tables?” William teased, an amused smile on his face.

 

“Not hardly.” He replied. “I’m utter shite at it, as you can tell. I haven’t even offered you a drink yet.”

 

“Just water is fine, thanks.”

 

“I’ll be back with that.” Kili rose to his feet and moved to the back of the house, where Megan was waiting with her arms crossed and a smirk on her lips.

 

“You two seem…friendly. What’s this ‘sort of friends’ business about?”

 

“I knocked him over the other day.” Kili replied, filling a glass with water and shooting her a warning look. “I don’t like that smirk. It means you’re thinking things.”

 

“He’s cute… Bet you’d like to know him a bit better than ‘sort of’.”

 

“Don’t you have things to be…managing or whatever it is you do?” he shot back before walking back to the table.

 

“Decided on grub yet?”

 

“Got any soup left? I know you’re about to close—”

 

“Of course I’ve got soup. No worries.” Kili rolled his eyes. “I’ll go get you a bowl. Got a preference?”

 

“Anything but pea.” A strange look crossed William’s face at the statement, and Kili opened his mouth to ask, but the other man waved him off. “I’ll tell you after I eat, yeah?”

 

“Fair enough.”

 

Moments later he returned, hot bowl of soup in hand, as well as a plate of toast.

 

“I’ll leave you too it, then. Let me know if—”

 

“You could stay.” William said quickly, then flushed. “That is. I wouldn’t mind the company. If you’re not too busy.”

 

“Not at all.” Kili smiled, once again sliding in to the empty seat. “So… bookshop, huh? I didn’t know we had one around here.”

 

“It’s…kind of smallish. But it’s not even a block from here. Bag End.” William smiled fondly at the name, taking a quick sip from his soup. “You should swing by sometime. I mean, I don’t even know if you like books—”

 

“I love books. I mean, I don’t go out of my way to blow my entire night’s earnings on them or anything, but I do like curling up with a good story now and again. Whenever I get a moment to spare.” He laughed lightly.

 

“Understandable. Knocking people down is a very time-consuming hobby.” William teased.

 

“That and waiting tables at your local pub. I’m swamped. I honestly don’t know how I even have time to breathe.” Kili’s eyes were sparkling in amusement. Conversation with William was surprisingly easy, switching topics wasn’t awkward like it normally was, and it took him by surprise when he glanced at his watch and noticed how much time had passed.

 

“Shite. It’s getting late and I told Gandalf I’d open his shop for him in the morning.” Kili winced, and William’s eyes widened when he looked at his own watch.

 

“I barely even noticed the time passing.” He smiled and reached into his pocket for his wallet. “This was…really fun.”

 

Kili rose to his feet and picked up the now-empty dishes. “Keep it. This one’s on me.”

 

“No, I can’t—”

 

“Please, I insist. Think of it as an apology for knocking you over the other day.”

 

“I thought that was a hobby of yours.” William grinned. “You must go broke buying meals for all your victims.”

 

“I don’t make a habit of this whole apology thing. You must be special.” Kili smiled back, turning to walk away but then stopping. “Oh! Pea soup?”

 

“That’ll have to be a story for next time.” He replied carefully, tone light, but eyes searching Kili’s face…for what, the waiter couldn’t tell.

 

“I can’t wait. Till next time, then.” He gave the man a brief nod, inwardly rejoicing at the pleased smile that crossed William’s lips as he walked away.

 

When he returned to clean the table, there was no trace of William save for a few digits scrawled onto a white napkin.

 

*          *          *

_Bilbo was huddled up next to the fire when Kili returned from scouting with Fili and Ori. He was enthralled in his book, occaisionally taking notes on a separate piece of parchment with a quill given to him before they’d left the house of Beorn. Kili moved to stand behind him, leaning down to press a swift kiss into Bilbo’s hair, knowing Fili and Ori weren’t paying attention to them._

_“I’ll leave you to it, then—” he murmured, but Bilbo grabbed his arm and glanced up at him, small smile on his lips._

_“Or you could stay. I mean, if you’re not too busy. I know I’m supposed to be first watch tonight but I’d really appreciate the company and—”_

_“I’ll take it with you.” Kili interrupted, sitting next to him and bumping their shoulders together. “How’s the book? Getting anything out of it yet?”_

_“I keep seeing ‘manadh’ a lot, which means—”_

_“Fate and doom, yes, I remember.”_

_“And the word ‘aderthad’, but I’m not quite sure what that means.”_

_“I think it means something like a meeting, but more of a second meeting—”_

_“Like a reunion then?”_

_“Yes, something like that, I suppose.” Kili made a face. “I’m not very familiar with the tongue of the Elves, but I remember a few things from my travels and such.”_

_“Well even as much as you know is helping me.” Bilbo smiled up at him, giving him a quick kiss before returning his attention to the page. “What about this word?”_

_“’Elei’? That’s like a vision, or a dream. That word there, though, ‘oltha’, that’s the action. So this sentence here roughly means ‘he is dreaming of his fate’ or ‘doom’, depending on what these other sentences mean.”_

_“I think it means fate in this instance…”_


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tonight's update also got a teaser gifset, found here:  
> http://trappednightingale.tumblr.com/post/40402251620/and-here-we-have-a-teaser-for-tonights-update

No one was really sure how long the Grey Havens had been around. Gandalf himself seemed older than time itself, although Kili was convinced his name was actually something far more mundane—Frank, perhaps—and contrariwise his wife/’life partner’ seemed timeless. The stoners that hung around the shop referred to her as the ‘Lady of Light’, due to her pale complexion and fair hair. They were an odd couple, who claimed that fate had led them to each other after centuries of separation, not that anyone took them too seriously. They did, after all, run a head shop.

 

“So…why am I here if you’re here?” Kili asked, glancing over at Gandalf, who was lounging in an armchair that had inexplicably appeared in the shop that morning.

 

“You, my dear Kili, are watching the shop.” He took a long drag from his pipe, then exhaled, forming a slight ring with the smoke. “I, on the other hand, am reading.”

 

“And smoking. I’m pretty sure that’s illegal. Especially indoors, mate.”

 

“Do not tell me what to do, Killian, son of Dis, sister of—”

 

“Yeah, yeah, I get it, you know my family. My mum’s name was Denise, just so you know.”

 

“In this life, perhaps.” Was all Gandalf replied before turning a page. Kili glanced over at it and almost instantly recognized the book William had brought by the night he’d watched the shop.

 

“How can you even read that? It’s not a language I’ve ever seen.”

 

“You could read it, once upon a time. Not perfectly, but well enough.”

 

Kili gave him a look of disbelief, but walked over to stand behind Gandalf’s chair, peering down at the book. “Yeah, I don’t think so. What even is that? Runes?”

 

“It’s called Tengwar, and it has a long, proud history—”

 

He was interrupted by a bell ringing, signaling the entrance of a customer. Kili’s mood brightened once he saw who it was.

 

“Morning. What brings you here today?” Kili moved over to lean on the counter, giving William a grin.

 

“Figured I’d bring you a coffee, to say thanks for the other night.”

 

Out of the corner of his eye, Kili could see Gandalf’s eyes widening slightly, but he chose not to comment on it, taking the offered cup with a grateful nod. “Cheers. On your way to open the shop then?”

 

“Not for a bit more.” William smiled, taking a sip of his own coffee and moving to stand across from Kili, then turning his attention to Gandalf. “I see you’re enjoying the book.”

 

“I still can’t fathom why you wouldn’t want it. It has just the sort of stories you enjoy: adventures, true love, dragons, soulmates and all those sort of things.” Gandalf muttered around the pipe in his mouth, tendrils of smoke escaping his lips as he spoke.

 

“True as that may be, I can’t read whatever language it’s written in—”

 

“No, don’t get him started.” Kili cut him off and gave him a look. “He’s feeling particularly….nostalgic today. He’ll go off about distant lands and true selves and other things like that.”

 

William gave the book a strange look, similar to the one he’d worn the previous night when mentioning pea soup, and Kili nudged him gently. “You’ve got to stop doing that.”

 

“Doing what?”

 

“Looking like you’re a million miles away.”

 

“Sorry.” He offered Kili a small smile. “Just got…nostalgic, as you said.”

 

“You’ve all gone barmy and I’m the only sane one left. What will the world come to?” Kili teased.

 

Gandalf raised his eyebrows in mild surprise. “I daresay you’re just as sane as Master Baggins and I.”

 

“Bagden, Gandalf.” William corrected with a roll of his eyes. “And isn’t it a bit too early for you to be smoking?”

 

“I believe in starting the day off with a pipe full of tobacco, and ending the day the same. We would smoke together, in the olden days…”

 

“I was at uni and didn’t know any better.” William chuckled.

 

Gandalf merely raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips around his pipe, taking a long drag in silent contemplation.

 

“So. Pea soup?” Kili asked, nudging William again.

 

“Not first thing in the morning. I’d like to start my day on a positive note, if that’s alright.”

 

“Later then? Over a pint, perhaps?”

 

“I’d like that.” William smiled. “What time do you get off?”

 

“Well, I’m done here at noon, then I go into work at the pub at four, so I should be off by one. That’s a bit late, though, isn’t it?”

 

“A bit.” William frowned. “I didn’t think that pub was open so late?”

 

“Oh, no, I’m working as a barman at the Green Dragon tonight; it’s a few streets over. When I’m at the Shield&Arrow, I just wait tables.”

 

“You weren’t kidding about not having time to breathe.” William blinked. “I’m honestly surprised we haven’t been acquainted before now.”

 

“Funny how things work out, isn’t it?” Gandalf remarked, glancing up from the book. He was looking at them with a mix of curiosity and amusement, and Kili immediately turned away from that almost-knowing gaze.

 

“How about I pop by for lunch then? You can take a break from the books, can’t you?”

 

“I could close up shop for a bit, I suppose.” William nodded. “Not like I get much business around that time anyway.”

 

“Great. Then it’s a date.” As soon as the words left his mouth, Kili coughed awkwardly. “That is—you know what I meant.” He could hear Gandalf chuckling quietly behind him, and even William looked as though he was suppressing the urge to laugh.

 

“Sounds perfect.”

*          *          *

Lunch ended up being fish and chips, and two bottles of water tucked under Kili’s arm as he searched for William’s bookshop. Eventually, his eyes were drawn to an oddly-shaped green door. A sign in the window declared it to be ‘Bag End’, but it was a small etching in the center of the door that told Kili he’d found the place. He had no idea what the symbol on the door meant, or even where he’d seen it before, but it felt right, and he’d long since decided to follow his instincts when it came to dealings with William.

 

Kili rapped his knuckles on the door, then turned the antique handle and carefully entered the bookshop. There were shelves almost all the way to the ceiling lining the walls and shorter shelves throughout the shop, each full of books and marked with signs according to genre. Between the shelves were paintings of mountains and forests that seemed otherworldy, and armchairs and couches were scattered throughout the shop. The place seemed cozy, and Kili could understand why William seemed almost fond when he spoke of it.

 

“Didn’t know if you’d want to step out or not, so I thought I’d bring it by instead.” Kili explained as William gave him a questioning look.

 

“Oh, that’s well…Thanks.” William’s expression softened and he gestured towards two armchairs with a table between them. “It’s nice to get company, as I rarely do around this time.”

 

“That’s too bad. This seems like a lovely sort of place to hang around.” Kili commented as he took a seat.

 

“It’s much busier once classes start back up. I get a lot of Uni students, usually recommended here from Gandalf’s shop.”

 

“Oh, so you get that sort.” Kili laughed.

 

“And the bookish sort!” William protested, settling back into his own seat as Kili handed him one of the brown bags. “Just so you know, I don’t typically allow people to bring food into Bag End. You must be special.” He smiled slightly as he repeated Kili’s words from the night before back at him.

 

“I feel honored, Mister Bagden.” He leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms on his knees. “So, you don’t get many visitors? No missus to come keep you company?”

 

William gave him an amused smile and shook his head. “No, can’t say that I do. Never really found someone that I really…clicked with, you know?”

 

Kili smiled softly and nodded “Yeah, believe me, mate, I know.”

 

“What about you, then? I’m sure you’ve got dates lined up every night, yeah?”

 

“Ahm…” he made a strange face, then shook his head, laughing slightly. “Not really, no. Like you said, I haven’t really found someone I’ve clicked with. I’ll go out for drinks now and again, but it’s never serious and it never goes anywhere. We get along well enough but the girls are always too eager and the guys are always so…dull.”

 

He noted the way William’s eyebrows rose in surprise and hesitantly asked “That…doesn’t bother you, does it?”

 

“No, of course not. It’s all fine.” William gave him a reassuring smile, going through the bag and retrieving a chip, munching on the potato with something akin to reverence on his face. “Oh, these are heavenly. Did you get them from the takeaway across from Gandalf’s place? The Fry Hard?”

 

“That’s…amazing. You can tell that just from the chips?”

 

“It’s a gift, I know.” He grinned. “Some people are great speakers, others are brilliant detectives, and some can tell the takeaway by the chips.”

 

“Gotta say, that last one sounds way more useful. So, were you born with this gift or—”

 

“I just really enjoy food, and I make it a point to notice as much as I can about what I eat. The Fry Hard uses peanut oil, so it’s a much different taste from the other takeaways around here.”

 

“So would you say you’re more passionate about books or food?”

 

“Can I say both? It depends on the day, the book, and the food.”

 

“Do you cook, then?”

 

“Whenever I can. I like making breakfast foods, but I rarely have time to make them in the morning, so sometimes I’ll make ‘em for supper, but for the most part I stick to a strict diet of takeaway.”

 

“So stopping into the pub last night..?”

 

“Was a rare occurrence. But I’m glad I did.”

 

When William smiled at him that time, Kili felt his breath catch in his chest for a moment, and he knew the other man had captured his attention in a way no other being ever had. Although he was beginning to suspect that he’d been ensnared by Mister Bagden long before their fateful collision.

 

*          *          *

 

_There was nothing more unpleasant than being ensnared in the web of a giant spider, Kili decided, albeit somewhat groggily. He was surrounded by darkness, unable to move or speak and barely able to breathe through the sticky material covering his face and body. Feeling a sharp pain in his arm and a sluggish feeling coarse through him, he realized that the thick webbing was not the only thing keeping him paralyzed; he’d fallen prey to the venom of one of the creatures._

_“Damn spiders.” He mumbled. His next thought was one of concern for Bilbo—his last memory of the hobbit being the sound of his voice crying out for him before he was dragged into the darkness._

_No sooner had the thought crossed his mind when he heard…singing. Kili’s mind was struggling with comprehending the words, but the tone was taunting, and beyond that he could hear nothing. He felt himself being jostled, and then the webbing was cut away from his face. He blinked as the faces of his brother and Bilbo slowly came into focus._

_“Can’t believe you freed him first.” Kili grumbled, having more trouble speaking clearly than he cared to admit._

_“Sorry, love. No harm meant by it. The webs weren’t all that indicative of who was inside.” Bilbo smiled apologetically, leaning forward and pressing a brief kiss to his forehead._

_“Alright, lovebirds, we’ve got to free the others. You can moon over each other later.” Fili let out an amused snort._

_“Jealous.” Kili retorted._

_“Are you able to fight?” Bilbo asked quietly. Kili paused, assessing the sluggishness that was slowly wearing off as well as the feeling like pins and needles throughout his body before giving Bilbo a nod. The hobbit lifted his hand to brush against his cheek, concern etched into his features, and then he was vanishing into the darkness._

_*          *          *_


	5. Chapter 5

Bringing William lunch became a regular occurrence. It wasn’t always fish and chips—some days it was Thai, or Italian, or whatever Kili could find on his way to ‘Bag End’. Other days, when Kili would work at Gandalf’s shop for a few hours in the morning, Galadriel would send him on his way with a home-cooked meal and a loaf of her almost-infamous bread.

 

Today, their lunch was one such meal, a vegan stew, and they had chosen to sit together on the couch in one of the back rooms rather than the table and armchairs they usually occupied.

 

Kili’s favorite part of these lunches—dare he call them ‘dates’?—was watching William. He loved seeing how William’s entire face would light up as he entered the shop, the way his nose would immediately crinkle in concentration as he tried to figure out what their lunch was for the day from the aroma alone, or the way he was right every time.

 

Seeing William give him a questioning look, Kili shook himself out of his ponderings.

 

“Nothing, it’s stupid.” He laughed, silently berating himself for dwelling on such things. Because it was stupid that he was mooning over this man, when obsessing over such tiny things was detracting from his time with William himself.

 

“Pea soup!” Kili said suddenly, surprising even himself with the randomness of the thought.

 

“I-I’m sorry, what?”

 

“When you came into the pub a few weeks ago. You said something about pea soup, then told me you’d tell me later, but we got carried away so you never did.”

 

“Oh, yes, that. Well… In hindsight, it’s silly really. It’s a dream I’d had the night before.”

 

“Tell me about it?” Kili asked, interest immediately piqued by the word ‘dream’, especially since that was the night his own strange dreams had started.

 

“I was trying to do…something. I’m not entirely sure what, but I was lifted into the air by this massive…troll! He used me as a handkerchief, and it…It felt so real. I can still remember how it _smelled._ It all reminded me of pea soup, and honestly I still can’t stomach the stuff.”

 

“I can’t say that I blame you. As terrifying as trolls are, they are far more disgusting.” Kili shuddered, remembering his own dream of trolls. The sound of his own voice shouting “Drop him!” suddenly rang through his mind, and he could clearly see himself racing to rescue William’s doppelganger, and subsequently getting captured. It was a very different dream, and yet, if William’s dream preceded his own, then perhaps—

 

“You’re doing it again, love.” William’s voice broke him from his musings, and Kili’s stomach did a strange little flip at the endearment.

 

“Doing what?”

 

“Looking as though you’re a million miles away.” William’s voice was soft, almost searching, even through the teasing way he tossed Kili’s own words back at him. The strange feeling in his stomach returned, and Kili was overcome with a wave of affection for the other man.

 

“Sorry. Guess I’m a bit flighty today.” He subconsciously moved closer to William on the couch so their knees were pressed together. Their gazes locked for a moment, and William parted his lips to say something, but was cut off by the sound of the shop door banging open.

 

“Uncle?” a voice called, and the two immediately moved away from each other as they heard feet on the floorboards. A boy who couldn’t be older than fifteen peeked his head into the room, smiling brightly when he saw them there. “Oh, there you are! Sorry, didn’t realize you’d have company.”

 

“Understandable, as I rarely did before.” William rose to his feet and gave the boy a brief hug. “What brings you here today? No class?”

 

“It was a short day, so I thought I’d drop in and see how you were. Also, Sam’s birthday is coming up, and you know Mer and Pip are going to get him something absolutely ridiculous—”

 

“And an old book from your uncle’s shop isn’t ridiculous?” William asked in amusement.

 

“You know how he looks up to you. Also, he’s been talking about starting a garden, so I thought a book about plants and how to cook them and such would be a good idea.”

 

“Actually…I think I’ve got just the book.” William moved to the back of the room, where a small desk that constituted his ‘office’ was arranged. “It came to me a few weeks ago, and it seemed like something the lad would like. I meant to take it to you, but—”

 

“You’ve been busy making new friends.” The boy gave Kili a curious look, a knowing grin on his face.

 

“Ah, yes, how rude of me. Kili, this is my nephew of sorts, Forde. Forde, this is my…friend, Killian.”

 

Kili couldn’t help but smile over the hesitation, seeing the way William’s forehead crinkled and the slight flush that appeared on his cheeks.

 

“Sort of nephew?” he asked, moving to shake the boy’s offered hand.

 

“Our family is…complicated. Very large. Calling each other ‘Uncle’ and ‘nephew’ simplifies things, and suits us better.” Forde explained. “He’s been looking out for me since before I could even walk; practically adopted me after my father passed.”

 

“I’m sure your mother would appreciate you insinuating that I’ve been raising you for the past three years, when really I just got to do the fun stuff.” William retorted as he began to look through his desk.

 

“I can’t think of a better man for the job.” Kili smiled fondly at William as he rose to his feet. “I’d better be off—tables won’t wait themselves.”

 

“Oh, are you working at the pub again tonight?”

 

“No, I actually just started at Angelo’s. They serve pizza and the like. Should be an interesting change of pace.”

 

“So I’ll see you tomorrow, then?” William asked, pausing in his rummaging to give Kili an almost hopeful look.

 

“Tomorrow’s Monday, yeah? I should still be able to pop in for lunch. Fish and chips alright?”

 

“Surprise me.”

 

Kili nodded, then turned to Forde. “Pleasure meeting you. Good luck with your friend’s gift and all that.”

 

“Thanks. Pleasure meeting you as well.” Forde’s blue eyes were almost calculating as they darted between Kili and William. Deciding not to pay him any mind, Kili gave William a final smile before heading for the door.

 

*          *          *

 

_Kili’s eyes threatened to close once again, but a gentle nudge to his side forced them open._

_“C’mon, love. You’ve got to stay with me. The poison’s not out of your system yet, and there’s no telling what could happen if you go unconscious again.” Bilbo’s voice was close to his ear, as they were sitting close together on a large tree branch, limbs tangled together to keep themselves from falling off as they did their best to stay out of sight from the creatures that lurked in the darkness of the forest._

_“Everyone else gets to sleep.” He protested quietly, vaguely aware of the feelings of fingers running through his hair._

_“Yes, well everyone else managed to get away from the spiders without getting another shot of their venom.” The fingers paused in their movements, and Kili made a soft noise of protest so they would resume the petting._

_“Talk to me, then? Tell me about…the Shire?”_

_“That’s a rather broad topic.”_

_“Your family, then? What are they like?”_

_“Large. None that I’m particularly close to, not like you and Fili.” A hint of sorrow in Bilbo’s voice cause Kili to groggily lift his head from Bilbo’s shoulder and place a kiss on the closest thing he could, which ended up being the hobbit’s chin. Bilbo chuckled lightly, then tilted his head to rub his nose against Kili’s before pressing a brief kiss to his lips._

_“I never really fit in anywhere, with my family, or with anyone in the Shire, really.” Bilbo said, pressing his face into Kili’s hair. He could feel Bilbo’s lips turn up into a smile as he spoke again. “And then you came along, and suddenly…I knew what it meant to truly belong somewhere.”_

_Kili’s own face was pressed into Bilbo’s shoulder, and he nipped lightly at the fabric covering Bilbo’s skin, not really having the energy to move much more. “I know what you mean. Fili’s my brother, and my best friend, but you… you’re home. Or, I’m assuming this is what home feels like. I’ve never really had one to compare it to.”_

_“This…this is exactly what home feels like.”_


	6. Chapter 6

“Fionnlagh!” Kili grinned as his brother took a seat at the all-but empty bar. He immediately poured a mug of his favorite ale then slid it over. “You look…terrible. Everything alright?”

 

“Uncle’s been running me into the ground.” He took the glass gratefully, downing it in one go. “There are…rumors of another company trying to buy us out. We’re well off enough, so normally rumors like these wouldn’t phase us, but… the man who runs the company is a monster. Extortion, forgery, coercion… There’s nothing he won’t do to get what he wants.”

 

“Sounds like you and Uncle have a dragon to slay.” Kili remarked, turning to pour a round of shots for another customer. When he returned, Fionnlagh was giving him an odd look.

 

“Dragon?”

 

“You know? Hideous beast that steals treasure, in this case, the treasure being uncle’s company? Arkenstone PLC? The company that pays your bills?”

 

“Yes, I’m familiar with my company as well as your metaphor It’s just…strange that you used that word specifically. Since we first heard the rumors, Uncle hasn’t been sleeping well. He says he’s been plagued with dreams of a hideous dragon destroying a castle under a mountain. We blamed it on the company’s name, Draig Ltd… It couldn’t be something more, could it?”

 

“I wouldn’t worry about it.” Kili shrugged. “You and uncle are two of the smartest men I know. If there’s anyone who can defeat this group, it’s you.”

 

“Thank you, Killian.” Fionnlagh smiled at him. “We’d be a better team if you were with us—”

 

“No, thank you. I’m no good at…business. Hell, I don’t even know what you do.” He added after a moment. “I moved out for a reason, you know. I’m not…meant for high society. The posh flats, the designer t-shirts…it’s not for me.”

 

“You never stopped being homesick after Ma passed, did you?”

 

“No, I didn’t.” Kili cleared his throat, trying to quell the surge of emotion that was threatening to take him over. “It’s been years, I know. But I still feel homesick. Not always,” he amended, thinking of how warm he felt when he sat next to William on a ratty couch in the middle of Bag End. “It’s gotten better lately.”

 

“Has it?” the blonde raised an eyebrow. “So when do I get to meet your Mister Bagden?”

 

“He’s not mine!” Kili protested, feeling a slight flush on his cheeks.

 

“Which is your own fault. You two have been…chatting for over a month. You don’t even keep friendships longer than a week or so, much less relationships. He must be special.”

 

“He is.” He agreed quietly. “He’s incredible, the most amazing person I’ve ever met.”

 

“All the more reason to bring him by. You never come over anymore and…I miss you.”

 

“You just miss kicking my arse in MarioKart.” Kili teased.

 

“It’s true. So you should bring your Mister Bagden over for dinner sometime—”

 

“Absolutely not. Dinner means nice clothes and three forks and little spoons and cloth napkins. I want takeaway and t-shirts and cheap beer.”

 

“I think Uncle would have a heart-attack if you brought cheap beer into the house.” Fionnlagh chuckled at the thought.

 

“That’s because he’s a wine and scotch sort of man. High society will do that to you.”

 

“And yet I still have no qualms about having a pint at this seedy place.”

 

“Hey! That’s my pub you’re talking about. It’s not…seedy. Okay it’s a little seedy, but it’s a good place. The plumbing works now, and we got the ceiling repaired last week so it doesn’t leak anymore…” Kili trailed off as his gaze shifted from his brother, a stupid grin slowly forming on his face. Fionnlagh turned in his chair to see what had captured his brother’s attention and immediately swore under his breath.

 

Kili shot him an annoyed look. “I know I said he’s not mine, but—”

 

“No, it’s nothing like that. He just looks—”

 

“Familiar?” Kili suggested, voice surprisingly calm as he passed his brother another drink. “Scary, innit?”

 

Fionnlagh took a sip of the beer, drinking it slower than the previous one and Kili could almost see the wheels in his head turning through the confusion in his eyes. He dropped the subject as William approached, though, giving the man a pleased smile as he walked up to them.

 

“Evening. Didn’t think you’d be off for a while yet.”

 

“Thought I’d close the shop early tonight.” William shrugged, taking the empty seat next to Fionnlagh, then turning to the other man. He froze for a moment, then his brow wrinkled in confusion. “What happened to your beard?”

 

“I…beg your pardon?”

 

“Sorry, sorry.” He apologized quickly. “I suppose I just always pictured you with facial hair when Kili spoke of you. Daft, I know. Terribly sorry, really.”

 

“I’ve heard stranger.” Fionnlagh chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder. Pleased that they were hitting it off so quickly, Kili turned away to begin pouring a round of drinks for the pair.

 

As he watched the amber liquid fill the mug (William preferred lighter ales), his mind began to turn. He hadn’t even had to introduce them, and yet William had somehow instantly known it was his brother. That wasn’t the only strange thing plaguing his mind, however. He couldn’t remember ever mentioning his brother to William, save for the early on explanation of his shortened name.

 

Still puzzled, Kili shook his head and quickly placed the two mugs in front of the men, then moved to the other side of the bar to clean up the countertop.

 

There was one explanation that rose to his mind with every circular motion of the rag on the battered wood, one thing that was impossible and yet could explain this entire affair. In the world that existed in his dreams, he and his brother were nigh inseparable, and William’s doppelganger was good friends with that world’s Fili. If this world existed in others dreams—which was something he was slowly beginning to suspect—then it would make perfect sense for the two to recognize each other and hit it off. After all, he and William had hit it off immediately despite the oddness of their first meetings, which would make sense given how… close their dream counterparts were.

 

His head began to spin, and he had to shake it again before returning to his brother and William. Kili couldn’t fight a smile as he saw how animated Fionnlagh was getting while discussing beer preference with William. Regardless of the reason why they hit it off, Kili was very glad to see how well they were getting along. There was nothing more important to him than his brother’s opinion, and it was obvious Fionnlagh approved of the man, especially going by the wink the older Duren brother shot him. He rolled his eyes before joining their conversation, making a mental note to talk to Gandalf about the dreams the next time he went into the Grey Havens. Perhaps the older man would have some insight about the whole situation, or at the very least an interesting opinion to share.

 

*          *          *

_“I hate elves.” Kili grumbled angrily, which only served to get him a sharp elbow to the ribs from Fili._

_“Keep quiet. Don’t want to draw attention to ourselves, do we?” the blonde hissed. The two were huddled in a corner of the cell the guards of the Elvenking had locked their company in as they’d offered to keep watch while the others slept. It was an unpleasant situation, and the only comfort Kili got from the whole affair was that Bilbo had somehow managed to get away._

_“Do…do you think Bilbo is alright?” Kili asked quietly, hunching down closer to Fili. The older dwarf gave him an exasperated look in response._

_“We could be executed at any moment, and you’re worried about the burglar. Of course you are.” Fili shook his head, a fond smile on his lips despite the exasperation. “You and the hobbit… What is the nature of your relationship?”_

_Kili had to look away as he shrugged. “We’re very close, that’s all.”_

_“Kili.” Fili’s voice was slightly reprimanding. “I’m your brother, aren’t I? If there’s anyone you can tell, it’s me.”_

_“I love him.” Kili’s eyebrows shot up as the words slipped past his lips, and even Fili looked surprised despite his prodding. “That is…I’m quite fond of him. I didn’t know what to think, what with the whole…dream thing. I wasn’t fond of the idea of being bound to someone I’d never met. How could I possibly love someone if I knew I had to love him, if I knew I had no choice in the matter? But…I think I understand now. The dreams…regardless of our ending, I was meant to find him. Not because I have no choice, but because…I need him. He completes me in a way I never knew I needed to be complete. I want to be with him, I want to love him, and above all else, I want to protect him.”_

_Fili was silent for a moment before he slowly brought an arm up to wrap around his brother’s shoulders, pulling him close into an awkward embrace. “Then I’m sure your hobbit is fine. Fate brought you together, I’m sure fate will make sure you meet again.”_

_Just then, they heard a slight rattling of the bars to their cell, and a quiet voice asked. “Kili?”_

_“Bilbo!” Kili whispered, jumping to his feet and hurrying over to where he’d heard the voice, being careful not to wake the others._

_“Kili, oh thank goodness you’re alright.” Bilbo’s face appeared out of the darkness, pressing between the bars as much as he could. Kili pressed his forehead to Bilbo’s and brought a hand up to link with Bilbo’s, cold metal of the bars between their joined fingers._

_“Are you hurt?”_

_“No, not at all.” Bilbo shook his head. “Is everyone here? Are they alright?”_

_“We’re all fine. How did you—”_

_“I don’t have much time.” Bilbo cut him off, turning to glance over his shoulder in concern. “I just…I needed to see you. I’m going to get you all out of here, I promise.”_

_“Bilbo, I—” But the hobbit cut him off again, this time with a gentle press of his lips against Kili’s._

_“Later. We’ll talk about everything later, alright? Once we’re out of this mess.” He shot another worried glance over his shoulder. “I have to go. I’ll come for you all tomorrow night. Stay safe, please.”_

_Without another word, the hobbit vanished back into the darkness, the tingling on his lips the only proof Kili had that he had even been there in the first place. Frowning, he took a step back, then another until he was once again sitting next to his brother on the cold floor._

_“I hope he knows what he’s doing.” He muttered._

_“A moment ago, you said you wanted to protect him.” Fili replied quietly. “I think he just wants to do the same for you. You’re a foolish pair but…I think you’ll complement each other well enough.”_

_“Assuming we survive the night.”_

_Fili chose not to respond, save for a brief slap to the back of Kili’s head. As they slowly settled back into a comfortable silence, Kili offered up a silent prayer for Bilbo’s protection, promising himself that if they survived the escape, he would tell Bilbo the depth of his feelings._


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I'm really sorry it's been so long since I've updated. Real life kind of punched me in the face and I haven't really been able to return to this 'verse. But I'm back, and again I'm terribly sorry for the long delay. This story is almost done with, and I'm quite excited to come back to it so we can give our boys the happy ever after they deserve~

Gandalf proved to be less than helpful, answering none of Kili’s questions and giving him the book William had brought in weeks before. Having nothing to do for the rest of the day, Kili decided to curl up on the couch and try to make sense of the gibberish lettering on the pages. He had all but given up on it when his phone chimed, signaling a text.

 

_[Any plans for tonight? –W]_

Kili smiled lightly, placing the book on his coffee table as he typed up a reply.

 

_[None worth mentioning. Any suggestions?]_

_[You could come by my flat. I have it on good authority that I make a fairly decent risotto. –W]_

_[Is that ‘good authority’ your teenaged nephew and his pack?]_

_[I can neither confirm nor deny that accusation. So what do you say? –W]_

Kili had to pause a moment. They’d been friends for two months now, close to three, but their time together was always spent in public places, Bag End or whichever pub Kili was working at that day, never in one of their homes. This invitation felt loaded, somehow, as though—

 

_[Is this a date, my dear Mister Bagden?]_

There was a pause, and for a single, maddening moment, Kili feared that he had overstepped some boundary, had misinterpreted their banter and companionship as something far deeper than simple friendship. Perhaps it wasn’t too late, maybe if he could just send a reply saying he had been joking, or—

 

_[It might be a date.-W]_

_[Then dinner sounds perfect. What time?]_

_[Is 7 alright? –W]_

_[I’ll be there.]_

 

Kili was on his feet as soon as the text message went out, rushing around his apartment in an attempt to find something date worthy, the leather-bound book on the table long-forgotten.

 

*          *          *

Kili rapped his knuckles on the door, turning the handle once he heard a muffled call of “It’s open!” from within the flat.

 

“You’re late.” William scolded lightly as Kili joined him in the kitchen.

 

“In my defense, this place was really hard to find. Also, I had to stop to get wine!” he nodded toward the brown paper bag in his arms. William moved to take the bag from him, glancing down at the contents, then back up at Kili with a raised eyebrow.

 

“I know we said ‘date’, but are three bottles of wine really necessary? I didn’t think it would be that sort of date—”

 

“What? No, goodness, no. I just…I know you said risotto, but I wasn’t sure what sort of risotto you were making. Sure, I could have gone with a merlot, since merlot goes well with everything, but it really wouldn’t have done the dish justice if you’d gone more for the creamy route, so I bought a Bardolino. But then there was the possibility you’d go for a mushroom risotto, which can really only be eaten with a Pinot Noir. And then in case one of those was a bust, I went with a Zinfandel, since I thought a white wine would be good to bring and Zinfandel is one of my favorites anyway.”

 

Kili glanced over at William and had to pause for breath. William’s smile was fond as he took the bottle of white wine from Kili’s hands, then brought his hands up to Kili’s face. There was a moment’s pause before William was pulling him down and pressing their lips together. It was unexpected and sudden, but still soft and searching and there was something about it that broke Kili’s heart. It reminded him too much of a goodbye, or of a promise they both knew would be broken.

 

“Why now?” Kili asked quietly as the broke apart, bringing his hand up to cover William’s. “This all seems a bit…out of the blue. Not that I’m complaining!” he added quickly as William stepped away. The other male dropped his gaze as he spoke.

 

“You’ll think it’s odd.”

 

“I think we’ve already established that there isn’t much in this world I’ll find odd.”

 

“In this world.” William’s lips quirked upward in an almost sardonic smile as he let out a breath. “I had a dream, you see. Foolish really, I mean, we all dream, don’t we? But in this one, well. I wasn’t quite myself. And I lost y—someone very dear to me. I know it was a dream, but I still woke up with the most awful feeling, as though I’d lost a part of myself and all I could think was… Life is short. And if you care about someone…You should let them know.”

 

“Not a bad way to go about living, regardless of your reason for doing so.” Kili smiled, taking a step towards William and taking his hand again, loving how perfectly their fingers fit together. “And the kiss?”

 

“I’m…not actually sure what came over me.”

 

“Well, whatever it was…It was nice. We should definitely do that more often.”

 

“We’ll see about that.” William replied, a teasing grin on his lips. “Now I believe you said something about a Pinot Noir..?”

 

*          *          *

 

Dinner turned into finishing off the bottle of wine while sitting on the couch, some horrid Robin Williams movie playing in the background.

 

“Being Human, I think it’s called?” William supplied at Kili’s questioning gesture. “To be honest, the only redeemable quality of this whole film was Bill Nighy, because the man can do no wrong. It’s kind of a strange concept… that one soul can inhabit several different bodies in different times, and yet still make the same mistakes.”

 

“I don’t think it’s so strange.” Kili shrugged, feeling his shoulder brush against William’s with the movement. “I mean, what if you couldn’t remember making those mistakes in previous lives?”

 

“You really think it’s possible for a soul to survive past death?” William’s voice was quiet, and Kili turned to look at him.

 

“Sure, why not? I’ve heard stranger things.”

 

William didn’t respond, taking a sip of his wine instead and settling back into the couch with his arm pressed to Kili’s. “I think it would be terrifying if that were true. I mean, then how would you know how many of your choices and opinions were your own and not…the other persons?”

 

“Well, wouldn’t it all be the same person? Just…a different body?” Kili frowned, staring down into his wine glass for a moment. “I think…I’ve had far too much wine to even attempt to talk about things this deep.”

 

“Agreed.” William nodded. “Let’s talk about something else, then. Aren’t you starting back in classes soon?”

 

“Ugh, yes, don’t remind me. Uncle said one semester off was all he’d allow, since I’m so close to finishing my degree.”

 

“I don’t think you ever told me what you were going to school for?”

 

“That’s because I hardly know.” Kili laughed. “It’s just some kind of…liberal studies degree or something. I just want to be done with the whole affair.”

 

“Fili said your uncle wanted you to start working with them.”

 

“Ah yes, the family tradition of going into business after college. No, that’s definitely not for me.” Kili shook his head, frowning slightly. “Did you just call my brother Fili?”

 

“Yes? Isn’t that his name? Or nickname or something?”

 

“Yes, but he hates it. It’s ‘Fionnlagh’ now that he’s in line to take over Uncle’s company.” Kili cocked his head. “It’s just strange that you would call him that.”

 

“Terribly sorry, won’t happen again. Certainly not in his company if he’s so opposed to the nickname. I think it suits him, though. Suits you both. Fili and Kili. You’re like a set!”

 

Kili let out a snort at that. “We used to be. But then he started working with Uncle, and I moved out, and we sort of…grew apart. Not Fili and Kili anymore. Kili, and Fionnlagh, separate entities. But that’s how it is, right? All families drift apart at some point.”

 

“You two are still close. You can tell, just by watching how you interact. Sure, you might not see each other much, but you still care, and that’s what matters, right?” William countered with a gentle nudge.

 

“Hm, I suppose you’re right.” Kili smiled at him briefly, then frowned. “You know, with classes starting back, I’ll only be able to bring you lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays. And weekends, depending on my work schedule.”

 

“That’s alright. I’m sure we can come up with other ways to see each other.”

 

“Yeah?” Kili grinned. “I’d like that.”

 

*          *          *

_Things were a blur, because of course they were a blur. One moment, he was leaning against his brother in an overly crowded cell, and the next he was on his feet, being guided through the halls of the Elvenking. It was a risky business, and there were far too many instances in which they were almost caught, but finally they were crawling into barrels. Once the others were secure and floating down the lake, Bilbo moved to Kili’s barrel. The dwarf caught his wrists in a light grip, stilling the hobbit’s movements._

_“Kili, what is it? We don’t have much time before—”_

_“I love you. I should have said it long ago, and I’m sorry I didn’t, but if we don’t make it out—”_

_“I love you too, you fool of a dwarf. Of course I love you. And we will get out of here. Both of us. All of us.” Bilbo’s smile was fond, even as Kili moved his hands up to cup Bilbo’s face, drawing him down for a kiss. It was short and soft, but still conveyed a promise._

_“See you on the other side, yeah?” Kili asked quietly as they broke apart._

_“Yeah.” Bilbo smiled, but Kili could see the sadness in his hobbit’s eyes, even as he began to float away._

_*          *          *_


End file.
